A Toronto real estate agent posted a picture of a $799,000 house that appears to be burnt down on TikTok saying it’s perfect for first-time homebuyers on a budget. 

The agent, Ruthie Miller, was half joking.

Miller’s real estate career has run parallel to being a stand-up comedian. She found the run-down house as she was trying to look for a place to invest in herself.

Though she wasn’t the seller of the house, she thought posting the entertaining video on TikTok would attract more buyers to it.

The Yorkdale-Glen neighbourhood home is placed on a 25 x 130 ft. lot and the listing includes pictures of burnt down areas in the home. 

Miller posted the video a week ago, but now the price is currently over $1 million on Realtor.ca.  

“This house did have a fire and probably needs a lot of work. If you’re anything like me and you think to yourself, ‘Oh, I can fix him. All he needs is a little bit of TLC. He’s just had some bad relationships in the past,’ then you might be into this one,” Miller said in the video. 

Some viewers were confused and wondered if the video was a parody. 

“​​LOL genuinely can’t tell if this is a joke or not … a budget? Your gonna need another 200k to fix it it’s not even livable,” one person commented.

When asked if she thought her comedic approach to real estate could mislead people, Miller said, “I don’t know.” 

Miller told Now Toronto that she was joking about some parts, especially about the house being suitable for a first-time homebuyer because of the structural issues. 

Miller believes she’s bringing attention to real estate regardless of the method and people are going to look at the listing and request more information if they want to. 

“I’m a comedian also, so why not mesh the two? It’s a clever way of doing it,” Miller challenged. 

Miller believes Toronto’s real estate market always has room for humour. 

“I personally like it. I hope I’m not breaking any rules with my professionalism. I like blending comedy with real estate. It’s easy to make fun of realtors because they’re usually advertising multi-million dollar properties when most of the city can’t afford rent.”

Adblock test (Why?)

Source link

LOS GATOS – A Los Gatos man who starred in a real estate reality show was sentenced to jail and ordered to pay back nearly $10 million to his victims after being convicted of real estate fraud, prosecutors said Tuesday.

According to Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen’s office, 58-year-old Charles “Todd” Hill received a four-year sentence. Hill starred in the HGTV show “Flip It to Win It“, which featured teams buying dilapidated homes and fixing them, before selling them for a profit.

The show aired in 2014.

Prosecutors said Hill was convicted in Sep. 2023 after admitting to grand theft with aggravated white-collar enhancements for committing real estate and financial fraud against 11 victims. Hill was indicted in 2019 following an investigation by the DA’s office.

“Some see the huge amount of money in Silicon Valley real estate as a business opportunity,” Rosen said in a statement. “Others, unfortunately, see it as a criminal opportunity – and we will hold those people strictly accountable.”

According to the DA’s office, Hill engaged in “multiple fraud schemes”, with some scams dating back before the HGTV show.

Prosecutors said in one instance, he diverted construction money for his personal use. In another, Hill created a Ponzi scheme by taking money intended to buy homes from an investor and spending it on a lavish lifestyle instead. He hid the theft by creating false balance sheets and used fraudulent information to obtain loans, according to prosecutors.

In a third case, prosecutors said an investor who provided $250,000 to remodel a home toured the property, only finding it to be a “burnt down shell” with no work performed.

Hill had used the money on a rented apartment in San Francisco along with spending on hotels, vacations and luxury cars, prosecutors said.

In addition to jail time, Hill was ordered to pay back $9,402,678.43 in restitution and serve 10 years probation. Hill has been remanded into custody, the DA’s office announced.

Adblock test (Why?)

Source link

Since Zdrill is well versed in all aspects of the real estate industry, you’ll have answers to questions before you even think to ask them – like, “How does mortgage loan insurance work?” or “How much will I need for closing costs?”

“Closing costs typically range from 1.5 to four per cent of the home’s purchase price and include things like legal and administrative fees, your home inspection, appraisal fees and more. So, you need to budget for this. Its my job to make sure you’re asking all of the right questions and I’m giving you the information you need to make informed decisions.”

As a licensed realtor with RE/MAX P.A. Realty, Zdrill has the option to show any property on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) database. He prides himself on understanding the market and current trends including property prices and the community.

“Prince Albert continues to have a lot of things happening with the construction of the new hospital, swimming pool and rinks. When I got into real estate over a year ago, I believed Prince Albert was a community on the verge of a boom and we’re starting to see that come to fruition.”

Selling or buying a home involves a multitude of moving parts, from negotiations to closing procedures and Zdrill is committed to helping his clients navigate the complexities with confidence.

Contact Glenn Zdrill through the RE/MAX P.A. Realty office at 2370 – Second Ave. W or give him a call at 306-961-5767.

*Please note, this article is not intended to solicit any properties already listed for sale.

—

**This content was created by paNOW’s commercial content division.

Adblock test (Why?)

Source link